Holder for windblown reeds

ABSTRACT

The holder has a flat, rectangular base and a removable clip to slip over one end of the base. The base contains a floor bounded by sidewalls forming channels on both sides of the floor. A partition extends about one-half the length of the floor and separates one end of the channels into pockets for the reeds. The clip has flat wings which slip over the other end of the channels and press down on the wedge-shaped ends of the reeds.

[ June 20, 1972 United States Patent Thomas 2,604,978 7/1952 Maier......................................206/l3 .206/13 HOLDER FOR WINDBLOWN REEDS [72] Inventor:

Thomas Thomas 1110 Breezy Meadow 2,937,740 5/1960 Bruckmann Lane, Spencer, Iowa 51301 Primal), Examiner Uoyd L King Nov. 30, 1970 Attorney-Roy G. Story [21] Appl. No.: 93,757

[22] Filed:

ABSTRACT The holder has a flat, rectangular base and a removable clip to if slip over one end of the base The base contains a floor i 'g c 206/13 bounded by sidewalls forming channels on both sides of the le 0 ar floor. A partition extends about enema. the length of the floor and separates one end of the channels into pockets for [56] References cued the reeds. The clip has flat wings which slip over the other end of the channels and press down on the wedge-shaped ends of the reeds.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,545,599 3/1951 Bartlett....................................206/13 .206/13 5 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures Pmememunzo m2 Ihventor Thomas Thomas 3% :H-Horneg/ more particularly to a portable holder having multiple receptacles for holding and protecting reeds used in musical instruments of the windblown type.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a reed holder or guard which is simple to construction, economical to make, easy to use, light in weight, flexible and soft to carry in a pocket, and readily disassembled for purposes of cleaning and keeping in a sanitary condition.

Reed holders or guards heretofore have been complicated, expensive and difficult to manufacture. Such devices are usually made of steel with parts welded together to form a rigid structure which is relatively heavy, abrasive and difficult to keep clean as they cannot be disassembled.

The reed holder of the present invention ispreferably made of plastic as, for example, polyethylene or polypropylene, and is light in weight, tough, but soft and non-abrasive. In the preferred embodiment, the device comprises two parts, a base portion for holding the reeds and a clip to slip over one end of the base to hold the reeds in place. The holder can readily be disassembled by pulling off the clip exposing the parts for cleaning and drying. The clip is flexible whereby the reeds may be easily inserted or removed, Also, the plastic tends to facilitate release of the moisture and to keep the reeds dry and of the desired shape.

FIG. I is a perspective view of the assembled holder with the reeds mounted therein.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the holder without the reeds and with the clip removed from the base.

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view of the base along the line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a vertical side view of the clip along the line 4-4 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a vertical sectional view along the line 5-5 of FIG. 1. FIG. 6 is a transverse sectional view along the line 6-'-6 of FIG. 1.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in the drawings, the holder is rectangular in shape having a base or floor on which is located four receptacles for the reeds, two of which are on each side of the floor and formed by sidewalls and partitions. A clip or clasp is provided with a pair of parallel, flat, rectangular wings attached to a tension return bend. The wings are flexible and when sprung apart to go over the base and one end of the reeds, the wings exert a pressure on the reeds to hold them in a flat position.

As indicated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the holder comprises base and clip portions designated generally by the numerals 8 and 9 respectively. The base portion 8 has a flat, rectangularfloor 10 bounded by sidewalls 12. The walls are attached longitudinally to the floor at about the midsection of the walls whereby spaced sunken areas or channels are formed on the top and bottom of the floor between the walls. Each of the channels is divided by a partition or rib 14 into parallel pockets 15 to receive the reeds 16. The partition 14 extends from one end of the floor to approximately half way the length thereof. r

The terminals 19 of the sidewalls 12 are preferably sloping as shown in FIG. 3, but the terminals may be some other shape as round or square if desired. The opposite ends 20 of the sidewalls are advantageously shaped to conform to the contour of the return bend 22 of the clip 9. The return bend is rounded or curved and the ends of the sidewalls are preferably the same, but other shapes may be used. The ends 20 of the sidewalls are provided with beads or knobs which fit into cooperating s'ockets or holes in the clip 9. The end 24 of the floor 10 is preferably pointed or sloping to facilitate insertion of the clip on the base.

The clip 9 has an enlarged, rounded crown or return bend portion 22 from which extends a pair of flat, parallel branches or wings 26. The wings are substantially the width of the floor 10, approximately one-half the length thereof and are sloping at the ends 25 to facilitate slipping the clip over the pointed end 24 of the floor 10. Also, the edges of the ends 25 of the wings 26 are cut at an angle to form sloping corners 28 (FIG.

2) for the purpose of guiding the clip between the sidewalls of the floor 10.

The enlarged return bend or crown 22 of the clip 9 is hollow and contains a circular, open center 27 simulating a tube which split at 29 where the wings are joined. This construction provides a spring action whereby the wings may be spread apart to slip over the end 24 of the floor 10. Also, the crown exerts a back pressure when the wings are spread apart causing the wings to pressdown on the reeds when the clip is slipped on the base with the reeds mounted therein. The end walls of the crown are provided with indentations or sockets 30 to receive the protruding beads 23 inside the ends of the sidewalls 12 of the base. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 5, when the clip is in place, the wings 22 extend approximately to the end 35 of the partition 14. The wings cover the wedge-shaped ends 32 of the reeds 16 and hold them in place so that they will not warp or otherwise become out of shape due to shrinking and swelling from changes in moisture content.

The holder is intended to provide for reeds of any well known or preferred type. Ordinarily the reeds are rounded or curved on top as at 34 in FIG. 1 and are flat on the bottom and contain wedge-shaped ends 32.

One method of use is to assemble the holder by first slipping the clip on the base portion. One or more reeds are then inserted in the pockets 15 with the wedge-shaped ends pointing toward the wings of the clip. The ends of the reeds are forced under the wings until the reeds are in the position shown in FIGS. 1 and 5. The reeds may be withdrawn from the holder by a reverse movement.

What is claimed is: I

1. As an article of manufacture, a portable holder for reeds of windblown instruments having wedge-shaped ends comprising a flat rectangular base, parallel transversely arranged sidewalls forming a channel on the face of said base and internal approximately centrally located partition extending from one end of the base to about the midsection of the channel and dividing the channel into pockets at one end portion of the base, and

a detachable spring clip having a pair of parallel wings connected by a return bend to fit over the end portion of the base opposite said pockets and to extend over the wedgeshaped ends of the reeds inserted in said pockets.

2. A device as described in claim 1 in which the side walls extend slightly beyond one end of said rectangular base to form shoulders between which the return bend of the clip fits.

3. A device as described in claim 2 in which the outer edges I of the return bend and the inner edges of the shoulders con- 

1. As an article of manufacture, a portable holder for reeds of windblown instruments having wedge-shaped ends comprising a flat rectangular base, parallel transversely arranged sidewalls forming a channel on the face of said base and internal approximately centrally located partition extending from one end of the base to about the midsection of the channel and dividing the channel into pockets at one end portion of the base, and a detachable spring clip having a pair of parallel wings connected by a return bend to fit over the end portion of the base opposite said pockets and to extend over the wedge-shaped ends of the reeds inserted in said pockets.
 2. A device as described in claim 1 in which the side walls extend slightly beyond one end of said rectangular base to form shoulders between which the return bend of the clip fits.
 3. A device as described in claim 2 in which the outer edges of the return bend and the inner edges of the shoulders contain cooperating projections and indentations which snap into place to hold the clip on the base.
 4. A device as described in claim 3 in which the projections and indentations are of the bead and socket type.
 5. A device as described in claim 1 in which duplicate sidewalls, channel, partition and pockets are loCated on the top and bottom faces of the base. 